By Emily Goddard

Gerardo WertheinJuly 2 - Gerardo Werthein, President of the Argentine Olympic Committee (COA), will lead a senior Buenos Aires delegation at the International Olympic Committee (IOC) extraordinary session this week where it will learn the fate of its bid to host the 2018 Youth Olympics.

Joining Werthein, who is also an IOC member, in Lausanne will be bid chief Francisco Irarrazaval, Buenos Aires Mayor Mauricio Macri, Argentine Sports Minister Claudio Morresi, and bid ambassadors Argentine rugby union legend Agustín Pichot and Olympic hockey silver medallist Florencia Habif.

The three 2018 Youth Olympic Games candidate cities of Buenos Aires, Glasgow and Medellín will present to the IOC members on Thursday (July 4) before the host city is elected later on that day.

"We are honoured to be here in Lausanne, home of the IOC and the Olympic Movement, and we are delighted to have the opportunity to present our unique Buenos Aires 2018 vision to the Members of the IOC," Werthein said.

"Buenos Aires' campaign for the 2018 YOG is our fifth Olympic bid.

"We have shown patience and perseverance and a strong desire to contribute to the development of the Olympic Movement in a new part of the world with a young population passionate about sport.

"Our mission is to help young people connect with Olympism via the YOG.

"We believe Argentina's sporting, cultural and technological dynamism provides the ideal platform to extend Olympic ideals to new hearts and minds across South America, boost participation in Olympic sport and inspire young people."

Florencia Habif argentinaFlorencia Habif, who claimed silver medals at both the London 2012 Olympics and the Singapore 2010 Youth Olympics, will join the Buenos Aires 2018 delegation at the IOC headquarters

Irarrazaval, who is also Buenos Aires Under-Secretary of Sport, added: "The Buenos Aires team includes representatives from both our national and city Governments, highlighting their complete commitment to winning the right to host the YOG in 2018.

"We also have the full support of the citizens of Buenos Aires.

"They have an unrivalled passion for sport and would consider it a great privilege to welcome the youth of the world in 2018.

"There is no question that they want the Youth Olympic Games to come to Buenos Aires.

"We are totally focused now on our team's presentation.

"It represents many years of hard work and we look forward with excitement and confidence.

"It would be a great honour for Buenos Aires to be elected Host City of the 2018 YOG."

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